It's that time of year again, and Yes I know I've posted this twice before, and Yes I've been hanging around a long time. No need to comment on how long I've been here. I really need to get a life, I know already ! But hopefully this will remind us all of whats important, now more than ever.
With the upcoming Holidays. I like to post this for all to read. I guess this year is a little extra special since this Christmas I will get to spend a little time with one of my Nephews he is a Navy Seal and is going to be home from Afganistan for a few days. I can't tell you all how proud I'm of him. This poem fits perfect for what HE and the rest of them stand for. I don't know the writer but it sure fits.

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.

My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,Transforming the yard to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.

In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.

Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then thesure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and dark of the night,A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.

Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,Standing watch over me, my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,Away from the cold and snow blown drifts..

To the window that danced with a warm fire's lightThen he sighed and he said "Its really all right,I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."

"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask, beg or implore me,I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.

My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."

My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ',And now it is my turn so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,The red, white, and blue... an American flag.

I can live through the cold and the being alone,Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.

I can carry the weight of killing another,Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..

We stand at the front against any and all,To ensure for all time this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."

"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?It seems all too little for all that you've done,For being away from your wife and your son."

His eyes welled a tear that held no regret,"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,To stand your own watch, no matter how long.For when we come home, either standing or dead,To know you remember we fought and we bled.Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

Christmas will be coming soon and some credit isdue to our U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebratethese festivities.Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit ofwhat we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living anddead, who sacrificed themselves for us.

It's that time of year again, and Yes I know I've posted this twice before, and Yes I've been hanging around a long time. No need to comment on how long I've been here. I really need to get a life, I know already ! But hopefully this will remind us all of whats important, now more than ever.

With the upcoming Holidays. I like to post this for all to read. I guess this year is a little extra special since this Christmas I will get to spend a little time with one of my Nephews he is a Navy Seal and is going to be home from Afganistan for a few days. I can't tell you all how proud I'm of him. This poem fits perfect for what HE and the rest of them stand for. I don't know the writer but it sure fits.

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.

My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,Transforming the yard to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.

In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.

Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then thesure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and dark of the night,A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.

Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,Standing watch over me, my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,Away from the cold and snow blown drifts..

To the window that danced with a warm fire's lightThen he sighed and he said "Its really all right,I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."

"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask, beg or implore me,I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.

My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."

My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ',And now it is my turn so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,The red, white, and blue... an American flag.

I can live through the cold and the being alone,Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.

I can carry the weight of killing another,Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..

We stand at the front against any and all,To ensure for all time this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."

"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?It seems all too little for all that you've done,For being away from your wife and your son."

His eyes welled a tear that held no regret,"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,To stand your own watch, no matter how long.For when we come home, either standing or dead,To know you remember we fought and we bled.Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

Christmas will be coming soon and some credit isdue to our U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebratethese festivities.Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit ofwhat we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living anddead, who sacrificed themselves for us.

I appreciate your post, it was touched me and resonates coming from dual military parents. May not have always had traditional holidays :) but I was always very, very proud they served. I served part time and a year as a full time reservist when I started out but the allure of a lucrative and interesting career offer led me down a different path. Though I continued competitive shooting as a civilian and still teach with the Army Cadet corps; Marksmanship to our biathlon and competitive teams to contribute to our future in some small way.

I am Canadian, my grandfather was American and served as well, as has someone in every generation as far back as we can go. The Military is a very honourable calling, I travel a lot and always make a point of saying thank you to uniformed soldiers, Canadian and American. I don't think it's something they hear enough! Please tell your nephew "Thank You" for me!

And I urge everyone to donate to War Amps and other vetran associations, it's not enough to just say thanks, soldiers need our support when they come back injured. The vetran benefits on both sides of the border are appalling.

Happy 2014 everyone!

Deirdre

I appreciate your post, it was touched me and resonates coming from dual military parents. May not have always had traditional holidays :) but I was always very, very proud they served. I served part time and a year as a full time reservist when I started out but the allure of a lucrative and interesting career offer led me down a different path. Though I continued competitive shooting as a civilian and still teach with the Army Cadet corps; Marksmanship to our biathlon and competitive teams to contribute to our future in some small way.

I am Canadian, my grandfather was American and served as well, as has someone in every generation as far back as we can go. The Military is a very honourable calling, I travel a lot and always make a point of saying thank you to uniformed soldiers, Canadian and American. I don't think it's something they hear enough! Please tell your nephew "Thank You" for me!

And I urge everyone to donate to War Amps and other vetran associations, it's not enough to just say thanks, soldiers need our support when they come back injured. The vetran benefits on both sides of the border are appalling.